


Hold me

by Jess_eklom



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Yoi - Freeform, Yuri!!! on Ice Shit Bang 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-08-31
Packaged: 2018-12-22 07:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11962803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jess_eklom/pseuds/Jess_eklom
Summary: After a disastrous performance at GPF, JJ is in a bad head space. He can't be around his loving family; they expect too much of him. He takes a break from everything he knows to pay a visit to a friend he's mostly lost contact with; the only person who seemed to know how to comfort and him when he needed it.





	Hold me

Title: Hold Me   
Rating: T?   
Pairings: JJBek (background JJBella)   
Tags: friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, Implied (future) Poly, fluff

  
Summary: After a disastrous performance at GPF, JJ is in a bad head space. He can't be around his loving family; they expect too much of him. He takes a break from everything he knows to pay a visit to a friend he's mostly lost contact with; the only person who seemed to know how to comfort and him when he needed it.

 

\---------

 

Otabek wasn’t expecting a text, least of all from his former rinkmate, Jean-Jacques Leroy. They hadn’t really spoken all that much since Otabek moved away from Canada though they’d tag each other from time to time on various social media platforms. It really shouldn’t have surprised him that JJ felt like reaching out, but then again, Jean liked to communicate by tweeting him or tagging him on Insta. They didn’t really have private conversations any more.    
  
‘Hey Beka’ the text said. It was about 9:30 in the evening and Otabek had just gotten out of the shower. He toweled dry and responded with a quick,  _ ‘Hey’. _

 

Otabek went and found some underwear and some shorts to fall asleep in and frowned when he received a second note.  _ ‘Are you busy? Can you talk?’ _

 

Frowning, Otabek took a seat on his bed and texted back,  _ ‘I’m free. What’s on your mind?’ _

 

_ ‘I… need a place to stay. I know it’s short notice but… please?’  _

 

_ ‘Kazakhstan is a long way from Canada…’ _

 

_ ‘I know, _ ’ was the response. _ ‘I’ve been in transit for 26 hours. Please Beka.’ _

 

_ ‘Of course, friend. You need my address?’ _

 

_ ‘Please.’ _

 

Otabek tapped away on his phone, giving JJ his address. JJ responded that he was taking a cab and should be there within the hour. So Otabek did what any other person receiving unexpected company would do: he started cleaning.  

 

Otabek lived alone. His apartment was close to the rink and was within walking distance to most things he needed. His motorcycle was stowed in the parking garage and though the apartment was in a nice side of Almaty, apartments were small and cramped. His own was paid for by his parents - One was a lawyer, the other was a high profile TV personality in his country. Both women were forces to be reckoned with. 

 

Still, his apartment was small. It was a studio, really. The front door gave way to a small foyer where he kicked off his shoes, opposite a closet where he put his coat. The foyer led to a small hallway where a door led to the small bathroom and continued to a tiny kitchenette. The room then opened up; there was a small table that served as a dining area with two stools, then a desk  with a chair opposite that. Beyond was a bed and a love seat and against the wall was a TV screen sitting on top of a dresser without a mirror.There was a loft area that could be accessed by a ladder that was built into the wall for storage, which is where Otabek kept most of his skating gear and DJ equipment, as well as the majority of his wardrobe. 

 

He went over the place as best as he could, cleaning. He wasn’t messy, but everything could do with a wipe own, especially with JJ coming. 

 

Otabek opted for a shirt while he was at it and at half past ten, there was a knock at his door. 

 

He padded over to it and checked the peephole. It was JJ alright. He opened the door and was surprised to see how exhausted his friend looked. He was pale with dark circles under his eyes and, really… the man looked like death warmed over. 

 

“Jean,” Otabek nodded, opening the door further to let him in. “I’ll take your bags,” he said, grabbing for JJ’s large red suitcase and carried it in. He found a place for it and turned back to see his friend, “Make yourself at home,” he said, watching as JJ struggled to kick off his shoes by the door.    
  
“You look like you’re dead on your feet. You can have the bed. We can talk when you wake up,” Otabek told him, fully prepared to sleep on the loveseat.    
  
JJ looked at the bed longingly and shamelessly began stripping to his boxers and undershirt. The man was that far gone. “Thanks,” he smiled tiredly. “But… I can’t kick you out of your bed… would it be too much trouble for us to share? Like we used to those times  you got homesick?” he asked quietly. 

 

Who as Otabek to argue? Especially so late in the evening. “Of course,” he said, digging out fresh towels for JJ for him to use whenever he decided to shower. “Lie down. I’ll lock up and then join you.”

 

JJ nodded and wordlessly climbed into bed. He moved to the furthest side, against the wall, and hugged on a pillow. By the time that Otabek locked up and turned out the lights, JJ was out. He was dead asleep. 

 

Otabek climbed in and settled beside his exhausted friend. JJ was someone who needed tactile comfort, so it didn’t surprise him that he’d want Otabek to be close to him while they slept… the thing that DID surprise him, however, was that he’d flown halfway across the world to get it. 

 

When he woke up, he’d have to get JJ to open up. What could have driven him this far and on such short notice?

 

Laying down, he decided to put that out of his mind for the time being. It would do him zero good when trying to get to sleep. Having JJ in his bed again was both comforting and difficult. He’d never freely admit it out loud, but he’d had feelings for JJ ever since he’d lived with the Leroys for a year. He and JJ had shared a room and his brother and sister, twins, shared another. Otabek and JJ had grown quite close over the course of that year, but in the end their friendship had fizzled away. 

 

Otabek would say he didn’t know why things were the way they were, but that would be a lie. He’d fallen for his best friend, and while JJ was kind and charming and very tactile, Otabek knew deep down, that JJ’s touches and hougs had never meant anything beyond friendship. 

 

And now he was overthinking it. He sighed to himself and got up to take a pair of valerian root capsules. They helped him sleep when he was restless. 

  
Sleep came shortly after that, but not before JJ turned in his sleep and hugged him. It was bittersweet, but he wouldn’t pull away from that embrace for anything in the world.

 

The next morning, Otabek woke up and, without waking his guest, he changed, grabbed his running shoes and went on his morning jog. It was the off season, so he wasn’t training quite as hard, but he still had a regimen to adhere to. 

 

He ran for the better part of an hour and when he came home, Jean was still fast asleep. Quietly, Otabek took a shower, changed, and headed out again to the bakery down the street to get some rolls and sweet bread for JJ. While he was at it, he stopped to buy one of those obnoxiously sweet coffee concoctions that he seemed to love so much. When he got back to his apartment, JJ was sitting on his bed, blankets pooled around him, frowning at his phone as he tapped at it.    
  
“Good morning,” Otabek said, putting his purchases down on the small dining table. 

 

“Morning, Beka,” JJ smiled, putting his phone on the night stand. “Have you been up a long time?” 

 

“A while,” Otabek shrugged. “I have a routine.”    
  
“Sorry,” JJ said, looking embarrassed. 

 

“Don’t worry about it. You traveled a long way,” he said, handing JJ his drink as he took a seat on one of the stools, “I hope it’s to your liking.”

 

JJ sipped at his coffee and lit up, “It’s wonderful, thank you. What do I owe-”

 

“Stop it. You’re my guest. You don’t owe a thing.” He handed JJ a sweet bread and took one for himself, “You wanna talk about it?”

  
“Talk about what?” JJ asked evasively. 

 

“Oh, I don’t know… what brought you halfway across the world without warning…”

 

“I called!” JJ said defensively, but it was halfhearted at best.

 

“Yes, you called - Once you were already in the country!” Otabek retorted. “You want to tell me what happened?”

 

JJ sighed and took a sip of his drink. “I… I don’t know what to say,” he whispered. He curled up on the bed and nibbled at his pastry, seeming to chew it over, “I… Should I not have come?” he asked. “What am I saying? Of course I shouldn’t have. I… was impulsive. I just…. I don’t know what to do, Beka.”

 

Otabek wanted to know what it was about. It had to be big if JJ came all the way out to Kazakhstan. 

 

“Jean… you need to start making sense soon. Please. Do your parents know you’re here at least?”

 

JJ put his drink on the nightstand rubbed his face in exasperation. “I… just needed to get away. After what happened at the GPF, I can’t get it together. I’m shaken, Beka. I feel like I’m drowning and no one can see me. They’re choking the life out of me and I needed to get away… so I left.  I love my family and I know they love me… but… they expect so much of me. Them and Bella.” He seemed to realize what he said and immediately began babbling, “Don’t get me wrong.I LOVE Bella. She’s my world. She’s everything I ever wanted and everything I ever COULD want. She gets along with my parents, she’s a great person, and she supports me 100%... but… things lately… have been tense.” He tucked his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, falling silent… as if waiting for a verbal lashing. 

 

“Tense how?” Otabek asked. It looked like he was going to have to drag it out of him. 

 

“I… really don't want to talk about it right now,” JJ said quietly. The truth was, for the last few weeks, the only person he’d thought about was Otabek. Otabek had been there when he had anxiety attacks as a preteen and teenager. He was there when he started taking meds for his ADHD. He had never asked for anything from JJ. Just his friendship… and he always offered so much in return. 

 

Otabek watched him for a moment and put his coffee down on the table, his pastry beside it.    
  
“Jean?” 

 

Vulnerable eyes looked up at him. 

 

“Do you need me to hold you right now?” 

 

A nod and averted eyes was his response.    
  


Otabek stood and padded over to the bed. His shoes had been kicked off at the door, so he climbed on resting his back on the headboard and opened his arms. Immediately, JJ crawled between his legs and leaned against Otabek’s chest, his hands clutching at his shirt. Otabek wrapped his arms around JJ and gently began rubbing his back. 

 

“Is this better?” he whispered. JJ shivered in his arms and nodded. His hair smelled good, even though he hadn’t showered yet, the scent reminding him of a time in his life where he would hold JJ through the night more often than not. Those were different times. Times that Otabek remembered with fondness. 

 

Those days were long gone, though, and up until that morning, all Otabek had were memories. JJ being in his small studio was going to be like picking at a scab that he thought had already healed over. But it didn’t seem to matter. He’d deal with the fallout afterwards. For the time being, JJ needed him and Otabek swore to himself that he’d be there for his friend.

 

He held JJ tightly against his chest and did his best to soothe him. They hadn’t done this in over two years. Hell, they’d barely even kept in contact! But looking at the man in his arms, all that seemed irrelevant. He still fit. JJ curled up between Otabek’s legs tucked himself into as small a ball as he could, and let Otabek hold him. It was then that he realized JJ was crying. 

 

“Jean?” he asked softly, “... Do you need to talk? Need me to listen?”

 

“You’re going to think I’m crazy… or stupid,” Jean said quietly. 

 

“You flew all the way to Almaty on a whim, doofus. I already think that,” Otabek laughed, gently picking on him. 

 

It had the desired effect. JJ laughed and snuggled against Otabek.    
  
“I guess I could talk about it… but I don’t know where to start. Can’t we just… I don’t know, stay like this for a bit?”

 

“Sure,” Otabek said, letting JJ drift off in his arms again. 

 

The next time JJ woke up, he looked well rested. Otabek had managed to grab a hold of his phone and texted Coach Nathalie to let her know JJ was safe. He’d immediately received a heartfelt ‘thank you’ reply, which confirmed that JJ had not told his family where he was going.

 

“Did you tell on me?” JJ murmured in his arms. 

 

“I let your mom know that you were safe, that’s all.” 

JJ snorted, “I’m such a fuck up.” 

 

“Don’t say that,” Otabek sighed. “You had a rough patch… that’s all. You’ve gotten through rough spots before.” 

 

“Not without you I haven’t” JJ retorted. 

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

 

“Nothing,” JJ evaded, getting up. He stretched, his back cracking as he leaned this way and that. “I’m going to grab a shower, that cool?” 

 

Otabek nodded, “Sure, make yourself at home.” 

 

And JJ did. He made his way to Otabek’s bathroom and disappeared for the next forty five minutes. When he came out, Otabek was making sandwiches for lunch. “Isabella left you a message while you were in there,” he offered. JJ’s back tensed a bit, then seemed to relax as he dug around for something to wear. 

 

“Okay cool. I’ll message her back later,” JJ said dismissively. Otabek didn’t think it prudent to ask questions. JJ would open up when he needed to. 

 

They had their lunch and in the afternoon, Otabek took JJ for a walk. The taller man had wanted a bit of a tour ‘to clear his head’ and Otabek obliged. He showed JJ the shops he liked to visit, took him through the park where he normally did his morning run, and eventually showed him the rink where he practiced. JJ took it all in and even asked if they could skate there.    
  
JJ’s skates were back in Otabek’s apartment, so he had to make do with a pair of rentals. For his part, Otabek had an extra pair of practice skates in one of the lockers so he didn’t have to grab a pair of rentals too. 

 

They spent no less than three hours just skating with other teenagers to the cheesy dance music that was playing. The mornings and early afternoons, the rink was reserved for Otabek and other skaters in various degrees of training, in the evenings, the rink was open to the public. They rented out skates and played anything from disco to pop to Elvis and occasionally took special requests. 

 

Looking over at JJ, Otabek was glad to see the Canadian was having a very good time. He was goofing off, flirting with pretty girls that didn’t understand a lick of English, and showing off some (tame, by his standards) skating moves. At first, Otabek had wondered if this excursion to the rink had been a good idea, but seeing JJ enjoy being on the ice like that chased out any second thoughts.

 

When they arrived back at Otabek’s place after eating out, they each took turns showering (this time, JJ didn’t take forty-five minutes) and they settled in on the couch. Or rather, Otabek was on the couch and JJ sat on the bed just behind him, bringing the pillows with him. 

 

They watched a dumb movie that neither of them really paid attention to and that’s how it was for the next few days. They worked out together, skated together, and then wandered the city a bit in the evenings before wrapping it up by watching something light hearted or silly. It didn’t take long to fall back into a familiar cadence that echoed their time spent together in Canada several years prior. 

 

On his fourth day there, JJ decided he wanted to have drinks, and against Otabek’s better judgment, they went out, bought a bottle of vodka and a couple bottles of wine, then took them back to the flat. They put on yet another dumb movie and proceeded to have drinks and snacks while ripping the terrible B-movie apart. 

 

When the movie came to an end, Otabek turned off the TV and moved to get ready for bed (they were both already in their sleep clothes, but Otabek wanted to tidy up) when JJ stopped him.    
  
“Hey Beka?” JJ asked, his face a little flushed and his lips stained with wine. 

 

“Mm?” Otabek grunted, throwing away takeout containers into the small trash bin under the sink. 

 

“I don’t want to go to bed… can we sit and talk for a while?” 

 

Otabek frowned a little. He wanted to talk? It’d been days since Otabek had given up trying to get anything out of JJ and now the man finally seemed ready to come out with it. He moved back to the couch and took a seat after refilling his glass. It was too quiet so he put on some music to stave off the silence and settled into the cushions. 

 

“What’s on your mind?” he asked. 

 

“You’ve always been a good friend to me… why is that?” JJ asked, swirling the wine in his glass around. 

 

“I don’t know… we’re friends. How else are friends supposed to act?” Otabek countered. 

 

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t have any,” JJ said morosely. “Just you… and I don’t want you to be my friend.” 

 

The words drove an icy dagger into Otabek’s heart. If JJ didn’t want to be friends, why was here, in HIS apartment, sitting on HIS bed?

 

“You’ve always been really good to me, Beka. You’re the best friend I ever had. Even when you left and we stopped talking, I always considered you my best friend. You’ve always been that…” he waved his hand around, as if trying to pluck the word from thin air, “ROCK. You’ve always been a rock. So nice and steady and strong. You put up with my _ bullshit _ ,” he slurred. “You put up with my being stupid and messed up in the head. And even when I was scared of fucking  _ nightmares _ you were there for me. Who DOES that?” 

 

“I…” Otabek began, but JJ didn’t let him speak. 

 

“This is all your fault Beka. All of it.” 

 

“Excuse me?” Otabek asked, feeling his hackles rise. Sure JJ was drunk, but what the hell was he going on about? “WHAT, exactly, is my fault?”

 

“‘S your fault I am not happy with Bella.” 

 

Otabek sat there, stunned. Was he hearing what he thought he was? Surely not. JJ and Isabella had been engaged for nearly a year. Was this what drove JJ away from home?

 

“How is it my fault?” Otabek managed to ask, his throat suddenly dry.    
  
“Because I want you both,” he said, swaying a little. “‘M family loves me. Bella loves me. I love them back… but you’re… you’re  _ Beka. _ You’re MY Beka. My anchor. I can’t deal with the stupid voices in my head telling me that I’m shit. I can’t tell anyone else about this… but I’ve always been able to tell you.” 

 

“Jean… I think it’s time for you to go to sleep,” Otabek told him, taking away the wine glass. “Come on, let’s go brush our teeth and we can talk some more in the morning, okay?” 

 

JJ pouted, but nodded. “Kay,” he managed, getting out of bed and swaying on his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Otabek wasn’t far behind him after tidying up a bit. 

 

They got into bed together that evening after Otabek locked up for the night and his mind was reeling. Sure, JJ had been drunk off his ass, but… did that mean that his feelings for his friend weren’t unrequited? He didn’t have too much time to think on that, though because JJ was latching onto him and snuggling against his side. 

 

Otabek decided that for at least one more night, he wouldn’t think about feelings, and instead just focus on holding his gorgeous friend all night to stave off the nightmares. 

  
  
  


When morning rolled around, Otabek found himself wrapped up in a very warm Canadian. JJ was hogging up most of the bed, his head was nestled on Otabek’s pillow, arm wrapped around Otabek’s torso, and his legs tangled up with Otabek’s own. He was snoring softly against Otabek’s neck and his fingers had a death grip on Otabek’s tee. When he tried to disentangle himself, JJ only seemed to latch on tighter.    
  
“Jean?” he whispered, running fingers through JJ’s hair. “Jean, I need to get up,” he whispered. His other arm had fallen asleep and one of his legs was heading that way too.    
  
Jean only responded by moaning a little and shifting, but it was enough for Otabek to pull his limbs out from under JJ in attempt to get some circulation back into them. 

 

JJ shifted a little more, rolling off of Otabek, and groaned. Otabek took that opportunity to get out from under him, roll out of bed, and stretch. He padded over to the small bathroom, relieved himself, and washed his face and hands before padding over to the kitchenette to get some coffee started. Today was not a scheduled jogging day, and with the drinks they’d had the night before, he didn’t think he’d have a good run even IF it was on the agenda.    
  
He warmed up some naan and dug out some sausage from the refrigerator for breakfast. He sliced up the sausage, cooked the slices in a pan, then used the fat to fry up some eggs. He normally had three and made the same for JJ, to be eaten with the naan and coffee.    
  
By the time he’d finished making them their breakfast, JJ was rolling over and rubbing sleepy eyes at him.    
  
“That smells good…” he said, trying to untangle himself from the blankets.    
  
“Thank you. Now hurry up and get over here before it gets cold,” Otabek instructed. 

 

JJ didn’t have to be told twice. He rolled off the bed, staggered a little, but ultimately made his way to the stool by the table to have breakfast without falling on his face. He rubbed his temples and groaned, but Otabek was ready with something or the headache and a glass of water.    
  
“Here you go… have that. You’ll feel better soon.”

 

JJ took the offering gratefully and swallowed down the pills, chasing them down with the whole glass of water. 

 

“How’s the hangover?”

 

“I’ve had worse…” JJ grunted, tucking into his breakfast, just as Otabek was. “Did I … say or do something stupid?” he asked timidly, not daring to lift his eyes from his plate. 

 

“Stupid? … No,” Otabek told him as he ripped a piece of naan to scoop up some egg and sausage. “But… you did share some things.”

 

“Shit… what did I say? Whatever it was, I’m sorry. I … was … drunk?” he said, knowing Otabek was already well aware of that and knowing the excuse was lame.

 

Otabek leveled a look at him and JJ sighed, “Okay, what incriminating stuff did I spill?”

 

“You… expressed a certain amount of affection…” Otabek said carefully. 

 

JJ paled. 

 

“And you admitted to not being happy with Isabella.”  

 

JJ looked a little green. 

 

“I… didn’t let you say anything else and got you to bed. I would rather have this conversation when you’re sober… how much of that is true and how much was the alcohol talking?” Otabek asked pointedly. 

 

JJ moved his food around his plate and visibly tried to gather his thoughts. “I… know we haven’t really kept in contact since you left Canada… but… I never stopped thinking of you as my friend. You’ve always been there when I needed you and my being here now just proves my point. I don’t know when things changed or why, but… after what happened at GPF, I’ve been in my head a lot. And I’ve dug up a lot of feelings and realizations I didn’t know I’ve been carrying with me for a long time.” 

 

Otabek sat and listened. He’d finished his breakfast, but he was sipping his coffee quietly, letting JJ get it out on his own.

 

“I remember sitting in my room, feeling like I was drowning. I couldn’t breathe. All I could see in my head was me choking my short program over and over and then completely bumbling my free skate. I kept replaying how I started late and how the entire time, I kept thinking ‘I’m not worth the applause. I don’t deserve them cheering for me’... it… was rough. I kept thinking about how I was disappointing my family… my fans… Isabella. Everyone expects me to be perfect. Everyone sees The King… and that’s when I remembered. You know  _ me _ . You know the me that had nightmares. The me that came home nearly in tears because some girl shot me down for a date. You know the me that has been afraid of spiders and you never made fun of me for it…” JJ paused there, taking a sip of his coffee. 

 

“You were there when I started taking meds… you knew me before I was under control and you were still my friend. You were more than a friend. I… see that now,” he whispered. “I then thought about all the times you’re in my thoughts… and I’m embarrassed to say I think of you more than I should. I think about you about as much and sometimes more than I think of Isabella…” 

 

“So… what are you saying?” Otabek asked, hands clamped tightly around his coffee mug. 

 

“So what I’m saying is… I want to know if… if saying that I might have feelings for you will ruin the friendship we have.” 

 

Otabek chewed on that for a while as he sipped at his coffee. What was he supposed to say?? 

 

No, it wouldn’t ruin their friendship… well… it probably wouldn’t, but all he said was, “What about Isabella?”

 

JJ sighed, visibly deflating. “She… knows that she’s not the only person I have feelings for. She has noticed that I look at men as much as I do women. She’s… sort of… figured out that I have feelings for my best friend.”    
  
“Did you tell her you were coming to see me?”

 

JJ shook his head. “No. But… she did say I should come clean. She knows I’m not happy and now she knows why. I love her. I do. But …” 

 

“But you want me too,” Otabek finished. 

 

JJ nodded silently, looking visibly distressed. 

 

“So what are you proposing?” Otabek wanted to know. 

 

“Bella and I… we’re sort of on a break. I needed space to figure out my head… but… in a perfect world,” he bit his lip. “In a perfect world, I’d love to be with you both.”

 

Otabek sat and digested that. 

 

“No,” he said quietly, sipping his coffee.    
  
JJ looked crestfallen, but nodded, “Okay,” he whispered.    
  
That wasn’t the reaction Otabek had expected. Replaying the conversation in his head, he mentally kicked himself and reached out and put a hand on JJ’s. The motion made JJ jump and tense. “No… having feelings for me will not ruin our friendship,” he elaborated. 

 

Shocked blue eyes looked up then. They were misty, on the verge of tears, and Otabek suddenly realized that his silence was hurting his long time friend. “I… might… No, I  _ do _ have feelings for you too. I… always have.”

 

“Why didn’t you say anything?” JJ asked, looking a bit shell-shocked. 

 

Otabek shrugged, “I… didn’t think you’d be into guys… didn’t think you’d be into  _ me _ .” 

 

JJ blushed a bit and looked away, “To be fair… I don’t know what I would have done with that knowledge… but… I’d hope that we’d still be friends.”

 

Otabek left his coffee where it was and joined JJ on the bed. He wrapped an arm around his waist and tried to ignore how his heart hammered in his chest. For his part, JJ looked a little startled, but he leaned into the embrace and that’s when Otabek kissed him. He cupped that handsome face with his free hand and kissed him sweetly, something he’d wanted to do for a very long time. 

 

JJ reciprocated, turning a bit more and wrapping his arms around Otabek. When they parted, JJ looked at Otabek with both adoration and trepidation. “What happens now?” he whispered. 

 

“Now… now you and I get to explore this… and when you go home, you make up with Isabella.”

 

JJ couldn’t believe his ears and couldn’t help but gape at him, “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

 

Otabek nodded, “If she’s willing to share you… you can have us both,” he whispered. “We’ll figure the rest out later.” 

 

For the first time in forever, JJ felt a huge weight lifted from his shoulders. He cried in Otabek’s arms that day, and spent the rest of it wrapped up in him. He still needed to get his head back in the game when it came to his skating, but it would be easier now with Beka, his rock, at his side.  


End file.
